Love and Loss
by Shihastah
Summary: The sequel to Memories of the Past. The continuing adventures of Chavez and Star. I am doing an overhaul of the original story, so check back regularly.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own young guns or young guns 2

Love and Loss

Chapter 1- Catching Up

Chavez and Star led their horses and walked down the streets of San Francisco, taking turns telling what had happened to each of them since they parted at the Red Sands reservation. Chavez told Star all about John Turnstile the Regulators, and the Lincoln war.

"I'd like to meet doc and of course I'd have to meet the famous Billy the kid." Star said

"No, trust me,.. You don't want to meet Billy."

After Star had left the Red Sands, she came here to California to visit her brother. After that, she went back home to Texas where her mother had moved and stayed there with her for awhile. Right now, she was going back and forth from Texas to California helping with the horse racing business.

"You see, when my dad died, it was in his will that I receive a third share of his estate. I took part of my share in the form of two of my fathers best mares; one of which I bred to my father's best stallion. I'm training the colt right now, but he won't be ready to run for another two years. You know, he's picking it up real fast"

Chavez listened to Star contently. He had forgotten how much he liked just listening to her talk. He looked down and noticed the pearl handled guns hanging from Star's hips, a bright silver Sheriffs Star gleaming on one of them.

"Oh look, I've rambled on all the way to the ranch." Chavez and Star walked through the entrance of the Shield H ranch just as the sun went down.

Chavez beheld the ranch. Blossoming orange trees lined the wide road leading from the entrance to house. A large corral lay off to the right and a two story barn behind it. The house was much grander than the Turnstile home. It stood two stories tall, made with stained split logs. The front porch was the length of the house and was wide enough to fit four wagons on it. Obviously made to accommodate big social gatherings.

As they walked toward the barn Chavez saw the ranch hands slowing move away from their various duties and filing into cook shack. It gave him a strange feeling of nostalgia and he felt a sharp pain in his heart. They put the horses away in silence, both deep in their own thoughts.

The house was dark and quite when they walked in. Star lit a match begin light the lamps.

"I thought you said you lived with your brother? There's no one else here." Chavez said as he and Star entered the white two story house.

"He's away visiting his Fiancé. He's considering moving up north with her once he gets married. I'm trying to talk him into selling me this place."

"You don't have a personal cook? Or maids"

Star laughed, "No, I prefer to do things myself." She said smiling and blew out the match.

Chavez sat at reclining in a chair at the kitchen table, watching as Star cooked and rambled on about breeds and colors of horses. Once upon a time his people, the Dine', had been called the "horse people". Even the Navajo women were considered to be the best horsemen of all the Indian peoples. It seemed so fitting that he should have fallen in love with Star.

Star sat a plate in front of him and brought him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, I really wish I could be a jockey" she talked on as she took a seat "… I'm just too tall"

Chavez smiled but said nothing.

"Sorry I'm doing it again aren't I?" she said

"No it's inspiring to hear you speaking so passionate about your horses. Did I ever tell you that the Dine' were once great horsemen?"

"it seems like I've that somewhere before"

"it was a long time ago. Before we were forced onto the reservations" His eyes were on her, but he was not looking at her, he was looking at scenes from the past.

She leaned across the table and took his hand. "you can be happy again, Chavez… I'm going to help you"

I will try to update regularly. Reviews make me happy =)


	2. Atsila

ME: Lol so my chapters aren't any longer than they used to be but hopefully the content is better?

Chavez: When did you start this story? Like six years ago?

Me: Shut up.

Chavez…and your still obsessed with me after all this time? You need professional help

Me: MAKE THE VOICES STOP!

Chapter 2: Atsila

Chavez glanced at the clock on the wall as it chimed in 2:00am and realized he been lying awake for hours. He decided to give up on sleep and lighting a candle, he made his way down the stairs. As he neared the living room, he could the strum of a guitar and voice softly singing.

"_Pretty things are yours to hold, pretty things so new and old. Pretty things you think you need are not what make you beautiful. Pretty things will rob you blind; pretty things will fade in time. It's what's inside that make you shine. My pretty thing" _

Star was sitting on the couch with her guitar; a small fire burning in the fireplace, lost in her own world as she sang. Chavez watched her intently from the darkness, the light of the fire making supernatural shapes on her face.

Chavez sat his candle on a side table and the sound made Star look up. "I'm sorry did I wake you?"

"no." he replied and settled on the couch beside her. "I couldn't sleep"

"Me either" she said, absentmindedly plucking at the strings of her instrument.

"You have a beautiful voice. Why do you not sing more often?"

"I don't know…" she stared off into the fire.

"I should call you Shi-Ha-Stah." He said, a smile playing on his face.

"Shi-Ha-Stah? What does that mean?"

"She who sings"

"I like it! It's better than what the Cherokee called me…" Star replied and Chavez listened as she began to prattle on about white names seemed to have no meaning, while Indian names told a story. Why was he being so timid? All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her like he had that night on the reservation. But he didn't. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but he couldn't. She was his last chance at happiness. First his family had been ripped from him followed by John Turnstile and the regulators. He wasn't sure his heart could bear her rejection. So they fell into the easy conversation of two old friends, talking late into the night.

When Star awoke it took a moment before it registered in her mind that she was not lying in her bed. She opened her eyes and found herself still in the living room. Realizing she must have fallen asleep on the couch, she moved on to the more important question; where was Chavez? After a search of the house, she finally found him sitting on a bench on the front porch, nursing a cup of coffee.

"There you are!" she said grinning "I've been looking all over for you!"

He glanced up at her and had to stifle a chuckle. Her curly hair, as if in some mad protest, was sticking out in all directions; her face suddenly turning an adorable shade of red as she tried to smooth the tangled mass with her hands.

"And WHAT is so funny?" she spat, trying to sound indignant.

"Um, nothing."

"I was wondering if you'd like to watch me work my colt."

"Sure."

"o.k. I'm gunna go change and then I'll meet you at the corral!" She said and disappeared inside the house.

A full half hour later, Star was standing the center of the corral. Her hair now tamed, brushed and pulled into a ponytail. Her simple ensemble consisting of boots, riding skirt and floral print blouse.

Chavez lead the colt into the corral, he was a beautiful creature; lean, muscular and completely jet black save for a small white patch on his forehead.

Chavez untied the halter and watched as the colt lopped and bucked happily, obviously glad to be out of its stall.

"He's amazing Shi-Ha-Stah, what did you name him?"

"I haven't decided for sure yet, but I was thinking of calling him Atsila. It means 'Fire' in Cherokee."

Chavez admired the animal "It's perfect."

For the next several hours Chavez watched in amazement as Star trained Atsila. The horse seemed to react to her very energy; going from a walk to trot to lope with a slight body movement from Star. Ever so often she would stand still, letting her shoulders sink and Atsila would come to her freely. Star took this time to rub the colt all over with her hands or sometimes with a saddle blanket.

When the sun was high in the sky, she called the training session to an end and she and Chavez led Atsila back to the barn. Once he was securely in his stall, they gave him a scoop of grain and set to brushing him.

"I've never seen anybody break a horse like that before." Chavez said

"That's because it's not breaking. The Cherokee call it, 'taking the spirit'. It makes your horse a willing partner, instead of a slave." Star replied exiting the stall. She took the brushes and put them away. "Now what do you say we go into town and see about you some new clothes, or do you intend to where those same ones the rest of your life?"

He laughed, "Sounds good to me."


End file.
